The Trial
by reviewgirl911
Summary: AU: Harry Potter, older brother to the Boy-Who-Lived and the Dark Lord's right-hand man, is now on trial for war crimes. DMLE prosecutor and former flame Daphne Greengrass comes to his defense. The secrets and manipulations will rock Wizarding Britain and reveal a boy who never stopped fighting and a love that never quite faded.
1. Prologue

** Hey! What's up? So, I know I should probably just update what I have, but this idea was just so tempting that I couldn't resist. I wrote this whole chapter during Geometry in my notes. I have finally decided to try my hand at a pairing I adore (and would've never even thought of had I not read fanfiction). So basically, it's set in another AU. (I know, so shocking and out of character for me.) Harry Potter, older brother to the Boy-Who-Lived and the Dark Lord's right-hand man, is now on trial for war crimes. DMLE prosecutor and former flame Daphne Greengrass comes to his defense. The secrets and manipulations will rock Wizarding Britian and reveal a boy who never stopped fighting and a love that never quite faded. Hope you enjoy! Not anticipating this fic to be super-long, just a hands up. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I yield to the great J.K. Rowling.**

The population of Wizarding Britain was rejoicing. After a grueling three year war, Evan Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, had defeated Voldemort. Celebrations were takingplace nearly every hour. Award ceremonies and memorials were being planned. Businesses that had closed during the war were reopening, and it was predicted they would be flourishing in a matter of months. The Ministry of Magic was getting back on its feet. People were being hired and promoted, and certain departments were being reorganized. Most importantly, it was starting to prosecute Death Eaters.

Many of the more notorious Death Eaters such as Bellatrix Lestrange had been killed in the numerous battles throughout the war. Thankfully, there had never been one huge final battle as everyone thought would be necessary to take out Voldemort. The Department of Mysteries had managed to find a weak spot in the wards of the Dark Lord's main headquarters. No one knew how the Unspeakables had managed to study said wards, and no one asked. Using this intelligence, a seventeen-year-old Evan and a group of Hit-Wizards had managed to overpower the forces there, including Voldemort. Death Eaters had been captured, mostly low-ranking ones. Severus Snape's body had been found in one of the manor's empty rooms. The time of death was declared to be about a month ago. And though it would've been nice to capture Snape, they got the next best person: Harry Potter.

Everyone knew the story of Harry Potter. The eldest Potter son, Harry was sorted into Gryffindor in 1987. Most would say that his first three years at Hogwarts were fairly normal. Naturally brilliant though not particularly hardworking and a talented Quidditch seeker, Harry was very popular amongst his classmates. He had several girlfriends over the course of his time there but none of them serious. It was due to Harry's tremendous popularity that no one, even the Slytherins, dared to mess with his younger brothers once they came to Hogwarts. Evan, also sorted into Gryffindor in 1991, was painfully shy, and he tended to avoid crowds of people, sticking to a very select group of friends. Mark, sorted into Hufflepuff in 1993, was kind but quiet, sticking to the comfortable environment his housemates provided. And though Evan's years at Hogwarts always seemed to be filled with adventures and drama, those of his older and younger brothers went by normally. Until Harry's 7th year.

It was the year the Triwizard Tournament came to Hogwarts, the year the then only fourteen-year-old Evan's name came out of the Goblet. It was the year Voldemort was resurrected. It was also the year that there was a remarkable change in Harry Potter. Once cheerful and charismatic, he was now withdrawn and sullen, often snapping at anyone who tried to prod answers out of him. He tended to disappear for long periods of time. His family was worried about him. His friends were worried about him.

By the end of the year, it was clear their worries were well-founded. Harry Potter, once the Gryffindor Golden Boy, was now a Death Eater in Lord Voldemort's service, elevated to top status by murdering Alastor Moody, his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. This revelation rocked a lot of people's boats. The Potters were devastated by this news. James Potter forbade the use of Harry's name in their home. An Auror for nearly twenty years, he was angered and ashamed by his eldest son's deflection to the Dark. Lily Potter, on the other hand, was just upset, wondering what she had done as a mother to make her son hate them so much. Mark and Evan were confused, wondering what had happened to the older brother they had worshipped, the one who had always made time to play Quidditch with them at school. Harry's friends had searched their memories for something, anything, that would've indicated the dark path he would chose to take. Nothing could be found. Harry Potter was remembered as a good friend who had loved Quidditch and whose laugh seem to be in use as naturally as one moved their arm.

And though no one knew what drove harry to the Dark side, it was known that he succeeded there. Though most of his grades at school were fairly impressive, there was one class in particular where Harry really shined: Defense Against the Dark Arts. He proved to have an intensely strategic mind, a instinctual understanding of dueling, and the keen awareness of where his opponent was at all times. Harry was so good that he earned a compliment from Alastor Moody, a fact that nearly gave one of his former trainees, Nymphadora Tonks, a stroke when she heard it. It was unheard of to get a compliment from Moody. Hell, even Dumbledore had never gotten a direct honest-to-Merlin compliment from Moody like the one the man gave Harry Potter. It was an irony that none missed when Moody died at Harry's wand. It was Harry's exceptional dueling skills and natural charisma that elevated him into the top rank Voldemort's followers. It didn't take long for him to be considered the Dark Lord's right hand man, second only to Bellatrix Lestrange, Voldemort's most devoted servant and Harry's occasional lover. And now he was on trial for war crimes.

The trial was to be a huge spectacle. Most of the most notorious, feared Death Eaters had died throughout the course of the war, and Harry would be the only big name to stand trial. He was being tried for unspecified war crimes because, despite being a highly ranked Death Eater, they had not been able to find evidence of Harry leading any raids or committing any murder other than that of Moody, which the now deceased Dumbledore had convinced the then Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement not to prosecute. Amelia Bones, now the interim war Minister of Magic, was to preside over the trial since Dumbledore's position had not been filled in the frenzied year since his death. It was assumed that Daphne Greengrass would be prosecuting the case, a fact that gave most of Wizarding Britain a great deal of relief.

Known for her elegant beauty and sharp wit, Daphne Greengrass was an enigma to most. Born into a neutral Pureblood family, Daphne started Hogwarts the same year as Harry. Sorted into Slytherin, she soon earned the reputation of Ice Princess. It was a mask, a good one to be sure, but it sent a message to everyone, particularly boys: Don't try to get close. Daphne wasn't super popular in her house. Unlike many of her housemates, she was a Slytherin at heart and thus didn't approve of much of their blatant idiocy, particularly of Theodore Nott, who decided he had to have her 3rd year. Daphne's two close friends were Blaise Zabini and Tracey Davis, who eloped immediately after graduated and followed Blaise's mother to France to escape the imploding political climate of a country on the brink of war. Daphne's family, afraid of being forced to join the Dark Lord, also fled to France, enrolling her then 15 year old sister into Beauxbaton.

To the surprise of the aforementioned people, Daphne chose to stay in England and start legal training. It didn't take long for her to obtain a law degree as it was a less lengthy but equally difficult process than in the Muggle world. To everyone's surprise, Daphne then took a job as a prosecuting attorney in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She was well-known for her tireless prosecution of Death Eaters and her stubborn insistence on not closing a case until she had gotten the truth out of the defendant.

It was not a surprise to think that the thought of such a women prosecuting Harry Potter was comforting to the public. What no one, not the Daily Prophet or any in her Department (other than her boss and the other attorney involved), or even Harry sitting in his holding cell at Azakban, knew was that Daphne was not planning on prosecuting Harry Potter. She was planning on defending him


	2. Chapter 1

** Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the reviews! Always appreciated. Congrats to Santa1 who guessed my muse for this story without me even mentioning having one. I was inspired by the excellent one-shot The Double Agent by bourkem. If you haven't, I seriously recommend checking it out. Xavras posed some interesting questions I will quickly answer. 1. Evan Potter is basically the canon-Harry. The prophecy and such was always about him. 2. It isn't really a surprise to Harry that Daphne is going to be his lawyer when he finds out, but like everyone else, he did not know who his lawyer was until the day of his trial. Hope that clears things up. Enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I would like to agree to a long-term fling with Neville Longbottom (7****th**** movie version) though.**

Harry Potter sat in his chair, tall and proud despite his somewhat haggard appearance. He desperately needed a shave and a haircut, and he had clearly lost a bit of weight. Still, Harry managed to look both formidable and powerful. His emerald green eyes didn't miss beat, and it was clear he knew everything going on around him. There was no sign of the often Azkaban induced insanity present in other Death Eaters. He wasn't smiling madly or smirking deviously as many had predicted he would be. To most of the people, his face seemed blank, emotionless, but those who had once known him would call it solemn.

A throat was cleared. "Prosecuting attorney will be Penelope Clearwater-Weasley," the Minister's Undersecretary Percy Weasley announced, his voice hinted with pride at his wife prosecuting such an important, high-profile case. "The defendant will be represented by..." Percy's voice dropped, and it was obvious he was shocked. He cleared his throat once more and spoke again. "Daphne Greengrass."

Murmurs broke out throughout the room, declarations of shock and dismay ringing out. Most associated Daphne Greengrass with the harsh prosecution of Death Eaters, and hearing that she would be defending Voldemort's right hand man unnerved many people. No one was more shocked than the Potter family. They had expected Harry to be assigned some newbie public defense lawyer, not have one of the best lawyers of the time volunteer to defend him. The Potter family was somewhat acquainted with Daphne. Lily and James knew the young girl from the Order. She had joined right after leaving school, surprising some Order members who would've pegged her as a future Death Eater's wife. Daphne was mostly quiet during the meetings, only pitching in now and again to criticize Dumbledore's ideas, clothing choices, or clarity of mind, but her legal expertise and connections proved themselves invaluable to their order. She was cold and calculating, a model Slytherin to be sure, but neither James nor Lily had ever doubted this girl's leanings.

Evan and Mark knew even less about Daphne. Evan remembered seeing Daphne's face around Hogwarts and that she had been in his older brother's year, but not much else. He had known her younger sister Astoria during her few years attending Hogwarts. Looking over at his brother, Evan saw that Harry, unlike everyone else in the courtroom, was not surprised. In fact, there was a hint of amusement in his older brother's eyes. The corners of Harry's mouth looked like they wanted to quirk into a smile, but they managed not to.

It was at that moment that Daphne chose to enter the courtroom. With her hair twisted into an elegant yet simple chignon and dressed in an impeccable gray pinstriped skirt and white button down shirt that clung to her every curve, she looked every bit the Ice Princess lawyer she had become. Every set of eyes in the room were set on her, but she was only looking at one person: Harry.

He was the first one to speak. "A little late to the party, Daphne?" His tone was mocking but not malicious. "Get lost?"

Daphne smirked. "Had to go buy some chips," she replied. "And find a couple of witnesses." She studied him carefully, taking every bit of him in and scanning him to memory. It had been too long. "You look like crap," she said more softly. And he did. Harry looked tired and drained, and there were wrinkles and frown lines on his face that did not belong to a person so young. It was clear that the weights and burdens that had been placed on his shoulders were suffocating him. He was no longer the Gryffindor Golden Boy she had made out it broom closets with, whispered sweet nothings to when they were along, fallen in love with, but that was okay. She wasn't the Ice Princess anymore either.

Harry laughed bitterly. "And here I thought the luxury accommodations of Azkaban were doing me so much good."

Daphne stared at Harry, a long intense stare that would've made anyone else uncomfortable. It was a stare that had cracked many an unwilling witness and solved a tough case. He didn't even blink. "Your hands are shaking," she noted causally, though there was a hint of concern in her eyes for those who cared to look. Most didn't, but Harry's family did.

Harry shrugged, looking down at his trembling hands. "It's been about two weeks since I've smoked. It happens." Many of the people watching and on jury blinked in surprise at this comment. What kind of Death Eater smoked Muggle cigarettes? There were magical cigars and such, but none had the strangely addictive quality that their Muggle counterparts did.

"Tell the truth, and I'll get you a pack," Daphne offered.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Bullshit," he replied.

Daphne shrugged. "Believe me or not. It's your addictive and life-destroying habit anyway." It was clear they'd had this argument before.

Harry looked like he was thinking. "You can have the truth and half of my soul if I can have one right now."

Now it was Daphne's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Folding so soon?" she mocked. It seemed like she was enjoying this game.

Harry, suddenly serious, shook his head. "Prisoners sentenced to death get a last meal, right? Well, I want a last smoke before I get my soul sucked out." Nothing was said for a while. There was a tension between the two, a clear battle for dominance brewing. The court watched with bated breath. Harry spoke again. "I'm done playing this game."

Daphne's face was stone, but her voice was gentle. "Then don't. Just tell the truth."

Harry laughed, but it was not a sound Evan had ever associated with his brother. Harry's laugh had been clear and infectious, drawing everyone in. This laugh had the exact opposite effect. It was ruffled, dark, and meant to keep everyone at a distant. "The truth? That's just another game. What you know and what you don't, and what you're allowed to say and reveal and what has to die with you." He paused. "You think these people," he pointed to the jury, "will understand that? I know things that would make heads spin, and I know things that hurt me to know, and I know things that I could never forget. So don't you ask me to tell the truth and not call it a game. It is. It always is."

Harry's words seem to pierce Daphne, but she rebounded quickly. She looked into his eyes, holding his gaze. "Here's a truth for you, Harry. You made me a promise once, a promise you swore you'd sooner die than break. Do you remember?"

For a moment, Evan thought that his brother didn't look so formidable, only tired and vulnerable. "Yes," Harry answered, his eyes not breaking away.

"Then tell the truth," she pleaded strongly. "Ignore them," she said when she saw him looking over at the jury. "Tell the truth like you were just telling it to me, okay?"

Harry sighed. "Okay," he agreed.

Daphne smiled, not a smirk or a mysterious half-smile, but a true smile. She turned to Director Bones, who was presiding over the trial. "You may begin, Director. My meeting with my client is over."

Director Bones could only nod in shock and call order. This was going to be a long day...


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey! So sorry for the long gap in updates. This chapter was hard for me to write, and I'm not too confident about it so please go easy on me. I'm not a lawyer, and all I know about trials is what I see on cop shows so keep that in mind. Thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy! Review! Now, onto addressing a view individual reviews.**

**Pulvis: I don't have a problem with the word shit, but I figured it might be looked down upon in a courtroom. I am still trying to figure out how the style of this is going to be, but thanks for the encouragement!**

**ALPHAQ69: I do love The Double Agent and The King, though I don't really think my story is much like The King. I do like the Harry/Fleur pairing though.**

**sirius009: I do know that a meeting between a client and attorney would be private. Daphne just said that as a joke. My assumption is that the wizarding world is so backwards that trials would not work the same as in our world. I didn't think they'd even have attorney-client meetings, especially for a "dangerous Death Eater" like Harry. I can also tell you that everything has not been revealed yet, and I'm not sure what discovery you're referring to since this is a trial and most of what is revealed will be told.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. *pouts* Oh well...**

* * *

Penelope Clearwater-Weasley stepped forward, her argument ready. Though most prosecutors liked to utilize Veritaserum to get the truth out of the defendants, she liked to twist and manipulate their answers until she got the ones she needed. Her extraordinary skill of manipulation was probably why the Sorting Hat had struggled between Ravenclaw and Slytherin during her Sorting. "Mr. Potter, were you a Death Eater in the service of Lord Voldemort?"

"Yes," Harry answered, his tone bored.

"And when did you receive the Dark Mark?"

Harry's voice was harder as he answered, "On my seventeenth birthday." Lily Potter took a sharp breath at that answer. She had remembered celebrating her eldest son's coming of age, thinking that he had the world in front of him to conquer. It was heartbreaking to know that on that very day he had signed his life away to a madman.

"And do you still bear that mark?"

Instead of answering the question, Harry rolled up the sleeve of his Azakban uniform to show the Mark. After Voldemort's demise, the Mark itself had faded remarkable, but it was still present on any marked Death Eater's arm. It looked a little like a bruise. Harry seemed to be doing his best to avoid looking at said mark.

Penelope turned to the trial. "Let it be noted that Mr. Potter has freely shown us evidence that he is a Death Eater."

"Objection," Daphne Greengrass said smoothly. "Being a Death Eater in itself has never been considered a crime by this court. Only crimes committed in correlation to being a Death Eater can be prosecuted."

"Sustained," Director Bones agreed. "Ms. Clearwater-Weasley, please move on."

Frustrated, Penelope tried another angle. "And were you responsible for the death of retired Auror Alastor Moody?"

"Objection!" Daphne stated once again. "My client is not being charged with that crime at this trial."

Penelope was prepared. "I am not attempting to try Mr. Potter for the death of Alastor Moody. I am merely trying to establish a baseline for what crimes defendant committed in Lord Voldemort's service."

Director Bones raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like self-incrimination to me." She turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter, you are free to abstain from answering that question."

Harry grinned wryly, an action that almost made Daphne's heart stop. Not that it showed, of course. "Though I do find this pissing contest very amusing, I am willing to answer any questions the prosecution has for me." That comment earned a wry chuckle from his brothers, a cluck of disapproval from the older people in the room, and a furious glare from both lawyers. "Yes, I was responsible for Moody's death."

"Did you kill anyone else while in Lord Voldemort's service?" Some people leaned forward in their seats to hear the answer to this question. In the four years since Harry had turned to the Dark side, everyone had wondered why his name had been linked to no other murderers than Moody's. It seemed impossible to believe that someone so high in Death Eater ranks could've only killed once.

Harry's normally green eyes turned dark very fast. "Not by choice," was the only thing he had to say in response to that question. No matter how hard Penelope pushed, Harry would not give any details or expand on that answer. Knowing that as his right, Penelope moved on. She called a witness to the stand. Colbert Wilkinson was a newbie recruit to the Death Eaters, only having been there four months when Voldemort was defeated. Having no evidence of crimes committed and due to the little time he actually was a Death Eater, Colbert was tried for war crimes and given a very light community service sentence. Still, the stigma of his past poor choice surrounded him, and he had jumped at the chance to testify against a well-known Death Eater in hopes of clearing up his reputation.

"Mr. Wilkinson, what was the defendant's job as a Death Eater?" Penelope asked.

"I'm not sure," Colbert answered. "I know he was heavily involved in international recruitment. He was one of the few who were permitted to leave the manor for long stretches of time. He also was in charge of training up new recruits." He winced. "It was not an experience I'd want to live through again."

"Was Mr. Potter a harsh teacher?"

"Yes. He didn't accept anything but the best." He nervously looked over at Harry, who did not acknowledge him at all. "It was clear he had been very well trained. None of us could ever figure out by whom."

"What were Mr. Potter's other responsibilities?"

"I don't know. All I could ever find out was that he and Aimee Yaxley were exempt from participating in raids despite their extraordinary dueling skills." Harry looked up at the mention of the Yaxley girl, but his face still showed no emotion.

A few more questions were asked, but Colbert Wilkinson really didn't know anything else and so he was dismissed. The defense then took the floor. Harry was called to the stand.

Daphne strolled forward, her eyes connecting directly with Harry's. "Tell me what happened on September 17, 1994."

Harry glared at his lawyer, but she didn't back down. Finally, he answered, "Albus Dumbledore called me to his office."

There was confusion amongst the court, particularly with Harry's family. Why was Daphne asking about the beginning of Harry's fourth year? What did it have to do with his activities as a Death Eater. Evan remembered his first year fondly, remembered the loud cheering his brother had done when he was sorted into Gryffindor. He was sure Harry would've cheered like that no matter what house he was sorted into. Even if he had been sorted into Slytherin.

Daphne turned to the jury. "Exhibit A: A Pensieve memory from the defendant dated September 17, 1994." Everyone in the court room watched as she opened a tiny vial and dropped the memory into the Pensieve.

Projecting out, the memory showed a fourteen year old Harry standing at the entrance of Dumbledore's office. "Skittles," he said with a slight smile.

Walking up the stairs, the memory-Harry was greeted by Fawkes's trilling. He reached out and stroked the feathers of the beautiful phoenix. "Professor?" he shouted out.

Dumbledore stepped out, his purple starred robes causing everyone in the court room to crack a smile. "Ah, Harry, please take a seat." Harry did so, and Dumbledore sat back down in his chair. "Lemon drop?" Harry shook his head.

There was an uncomfortable silence. Dumbledore was content to sit and enjoy a lemon drop while Harry stared, obviously trying to figure out why he had been called to Dumbledore's office. "Sir, have I done something wrong?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Not that I know of, my boy. Though if you would like to confess something..."

Harry feigned innocence. "Why, Professor! I have no idea what you could be referring to..."

Both of Harry's younger brothers chortled at that comment. Harry had been trained by the Mauraders and was well-known for his sly pranking style by the time Evan started Hogwarts. The Boy-Who-Lived's eyes flickered away from the memory Harry to the older version on trial. He wondered how much of the prankster, risk-taking older brother, the brother he had admired, was left in this new, colder version. He wondered if he'd ever get the chance to find out.

Memory Harry's face turned serious. "So why did you ask to see me, sir?"

Dumbledore started to explain. Everyone listened as he talked about Voldemort, how he had survived the night he tried to kill Evan, how he was just waiting for the chance to rebuild his body and his forces, and how there would be a second war when he did. He talked about how they needed to build up their forces before that happened, how they would need more than Aurors and Healers to gain an edge, how having trained spies and double agents would be necessary. As Dumbledore said all of this, Harry just sat there, listening, not saying a word. It was clear there were wheels spinning behind his head, but no one could tell what the elusive eldest Potter son was thinking.

When Harry did finally speak, the first question he asked was, "When do I start?" It was such a reckless, stubborn, Gryffindorish thing to say in reply to such news that James couldn't stop grinning, much to his wife's displeasure.

At that moment, Dumbledore looked older than most had ever seen him. "Harry, this will not be easy. You will have to be branded with a Dark Mark. Everyone you love, your parents, your brothers, your friends, will hate you for your 'betrayal'. It will be dangerous and possibly deadly."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to do this or not?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I want to make sure you understand the risks involved. This is the kind of job that would break most people. I can't promise you much, but I can guarantee this will make a difference in the war."

Harry's eyes glinted with determination, and it was clear nothing could derail him. "Then I'll do it." The memory faded out, leaving a shocked courtroom in its wake. Albus Dumbledore, the leader of the Light, had decided to use one of his students, a fourteen year old boy, as a spy? It was so appalling, so outrageous, that no one would've believed it without seeing the memory. James and Lily, on the other hand, were furious with both Harry and Dumbledore. How dare that old coot manipulate their son into spying for them! How dare Harry for accepting the offer instead of telling them about it! At that moment, it was probably a good thing Albus Dumbledore had been dead a year because all the Potters currently wanted him dead.

Daphne raised an eyebrow at her client. "So, after that idiotically quick Gryffindor acceptance of a suicide mission, what plans were made?"

Harry shifted his eyes away from the peering crowd. "I was to be trained."

"And who was chosen to train you?"

"Alastor Moody." It was an answer that rocked the courtroom, a place that was becoming more and more enthralled by this story by the minute. It didn't make any sense. If Moody trained Harry Potter, why would Potter kill him?  
"And was this training harsh?" Daphne probed. In truth, she knew the answer to her own question. Harry's training with Moody had been harsher than what most Aurors went through. She had seen him bruised and sore and barely able to walk to his dormitory some nights, and yet he never complained or went to see Madame Pomfrey. It took her a bit to realize that Moody wasn't just teaching Harry (her boyfriend?) defensive spells and hexes but also how to manage pain. Of course, knowing this didn't make her want to throttle Moody even less.

"Yes," Harry replied calmly. Of all the people in this crazy scheme, he had never hated Moody because Moody seemed to be the only one who actually cared if he stayed alive and trained him to do so. "But I didn't mind. I still don't."

"Why?" Daphne couldn't help but ask. Some would consider what Moody had put him through torture, and yet Harry had never said an ill word towards the ex-Auror.

Harry's eyes hardened, and for a moment some were worried Daphne would get hurt. Of course, they didn't know Harry could never, would never, hurt Daphne. "Because I'm still alive, and a lot of people aren't." It wasn't much, but Harry just couldn't explain that Moody trained him so hard so he wouldn't break because Aurors could break every once and a while but Death Eaters never could because then they'd be useless and the key to being a Death Eater was to stay useful. For some reason, he felt complied to add, "I was never forced to keep going. I asked for the training to get more difficult."

Daphne pursed her lips but didn't ask any additional questions, and many people in the room were looking at Harry with admiration, particularly the Aurors who had been trained by Moody. The regular training was bad enough for grown me, but for a fourteen year old kid who then went on to ask for more difficulty? One thing was buzzing through these Aurors' minds: Harry Potter must be great in action.

The witness was handed over to Penelope once again. "Mr. Potter, who knew about your training initially?"

"Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, and Severus Snape," Harry answered.

"And Severus Snape and Alastor Moody know about Dumbledore's plan?"

Harry snorted. "Well, considering they were assisting with it, yes. Honestly, there wasn't much of a plan of attack my fourth year. I was training to be a double agent, but it was unclear what information I would be looking for. The plan was assembled as we had got new information."

Penelope couldn't help but laugh. "Doesn't sound like much of a plan to me. At that point, Dumbledore didn't even know if he would need a double agent."

Harry smirked. "Well, we had no Ravenclaws consulting," Penelope blushed at this, "but things ran smoothly at first."

"At first?" Penelope repeated. "Something went wrong?"

"Yeah," Harry agreed, a smile at the corner of his lips.

"And what was that?"

A full-blown smirk spread across Harry's face. Penelope raised an eyebrow. "Daphne Greengrass."

* * *

**Now, enjoy Jostanos's omake!**

**Harry: You want the truth?**

**Penelope: I WANT THE TRUTH!**

**Harry: *to everybody present* YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey! I know, I'm finally updating this. Celebrate! To be fair though, the only time I've had to write this was during Algebra II. If my math grade suffers, know it was for you guys. So Daphne and Harry's relationship is brought to light, and the Potter get an opportunity to delve further into it. Intrigued? You should be! Enjoy and review! Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. It is the great tragedy of my life. **

"Explain, Mr. Potter," Penelope demanded. She wasn't the only one that was confused. Many were looking at Daphne with searching looks. What did Daphne Greengrass have to do with anything?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "I could, but it would be easier to show you." Penelope sighed and nodded her consent. He placed a memory into the courtroom Pensieve.

Everyone watched as a fourteen year old Harry leaned slightly out the window of the Astronomy tower, taking a drag out of a cigarette. Just watching Harry smoke freaked his family out. Lily Potter wondered how she had not seen all these signs that her son was not okay. Really, what kind of mother didn't know her son smoked? She should've known, should've done something to help him, to free him, but she hadn't. Lily had been living in a fantasy world, believing her family to be perfectly fine, that her sons had been perfectly fine. She had been wrong, and Harry paid the price.

The room was startled by the voice that asked, "Come here often?"

Harry didn't seem surprised. He chuckled wryly. "Nice to see you too, Greengrass," he said, taking another drag.

Daphne Greengrass stepped out of the shadows, disbelief written all over her face. "How did you…?" From the incredulous looks of the courtroom, she wasn't the only one with that question.

"From the footsteps I could tell it was a girl, and I smelt a scent of newt eyes which means the girl was working in the potion lab very recently, and the only people Snape allows to be in the lab this late are Slytherins." Harry grinned. "And I happen to know that a certain Ice Princess likes to hang out here."

Someone audibly uttered, "Why wasn't he in Ravenclaw?", but most were too focused on the memory to notice.

The memory Daphne's face remained neutral. She raised an eyebrow. "Impressive."

Harry shrugged, stull enjoying his cigarette, something that didn't escape Daphne's notice. She walked over to the window and leaned out in a manner similar to Harry's stance. "So how does a Gryffindor Golden Boy learn to smoke?" she asked mockingly.

There was no reaction, something that surprised most. It was a well-known fact that Gryffindors were notorious for rising to the bait, but Harry just flicked the ashes of his cigarette out into the wind, his face impassive. "As enjoyable as this conversation is, why are you here, Greengrass?"

Daphne gave him a look. "Like you said, I like it up here." She looked out into the sky, seemingly savoring the view. "Why are you here?"

Harry shrugged once again, having finished his cigarette. "It's quiet," he said. "I can hear myself think."

There was a silence, but it was not awkward. All eyes were on memory Harry as he took out a small box and pulled out another cigarette. James randomly wondered how his son got the cigarettes. They definitely weren't something available at Hogsmeade. Maybe someone sent them to him…

Surprisingly, Daphne asked, "Can I try one?"

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise but pulled one out for her. She put the cigarette in her mouth, and he lit it for her. She breathed in and started to cough uncontrollably. Harry laughed and expertly took a drag of his own cigarette. Daphne threw hers out the window and breathed in the fresh air, trying to ease the burning sensation in her lungs.

"That was vile," she stated with a wrinkle to her nose. "Why do you smoke them?"

"Calms me down," Harry answered vaguely, avoiding Daphne's gaze. Lily could see he wanted to something else but couldn't. She had always been able to tell when her sons were holding back. "By the way, Gryffindor Golden Boy? Really lame insult. You guys should work on that one."

Daphne smirked at him. "Unoriginal, yes, but accurate."

Harry just stared at her. "Greengrass, I was almost put in your House."

Jaws all across the courtroom dropped. Before his "betrayal", Harry had been the quintessential Gryffindor: bold, popular, and always ready for a good time. It was one of the reasons his betrayal had been so shocking: no one had seen it coming. Evan thought back to his own Sorting, arguing with the Hat, it mumbling about Potters who thought they could do his job better than he could. Evan had forgotten this comment in his nervousness that night, and it had only popped back up now. He remembered Harry's comforting assurances that, if he really wanted to be in Gryffindor, that was where he would end up, but that they would all love him no matter what house he was in. If Evan himself could've been a Slytherin, why was it such a big deal that his older brother was the same way? There were many sides to Harry, and Evan now knew they were only beginning to discover them.

The memory Daphne seemed sufficiently shocked, though she did her best to hide it. Harry finished his cigarette and was making his way out of the tower when Daphne shouted. "Potter!" Harry turned around. "Why did the Hat not place in Slytherin?"

Harry smirked at Daphne before answering, "Because I asked for Gryffindor." He left, leaving a contemplating Daphne at the tower. The memory faded out.

Penelope turned to Harry. "What happened after that night?" she questioned.

Harry shrugged. "Daphne decided she had to figure me out. I was enigma. Slytherins despise enigmas. They're harder to figure out and therefore harder to figure out. It's easier when you can predict someone's reaction and fit them into a neat box."

Penelope raised an eyebrow. "And you have a problem with that?"

Harry's gaze flinted over to Daphne momentarily before answering, "I don't believe people fit into boxes that easily."

"Or Houses?" Penelope couldn't help but ask.

"Especially Houses," he replied.

A few more questions were asked, and then Minister Bones dismissed the court for the day to be reconvened tomorrow. Harry Potter was taken to a holding cell in the Ministry rather than back to Azkaban. In an interview with the Daily Prophet that night, Minister Bones stated that Harry Potter's placement in said cells was only for convenience so that multiple trips would not have to be made to and from Azkaban. Few believed that story. Most assumed that Daphne Greengrass had somehow wrangled that agreement for her client.

Said lawyer was exiting the courtroom as the crowd buzzed. James and Lily chased after her. "Daphne!" James shouted. She turned around, smiling sadly at him. "How… why…"

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "I've never asked him." It was a true statement, at least partially. She had never asked Harry that question, but she didn't need to. She knew why, in her own way.

James was fuming, accusing Daphne and asking all kinds of questions, but Lily remained silent. She didn't trust herself to speak without crying. A range of emotions coursed through her. She was mad at Dumbledore, at Moody, at Severus, at everyone who had encouraged her son to continue in this crazy scheme. She was mad at Harry for not thinking this through, for not coming to them, but she was also said for him because it was clear he had suffered and she didn't know to what extent.

The only question she did ask (and the only question she wanted to) was, "Why didn't you stop him?" It was a simple question, a straightforward one, and yet infinitely complicated.

Daphne gave Lily a look. "Have you ever tried to stop Harry from doing something?" Lily and James shared a look, remembering a stubborn little boy who refused to eat his carrots and a teenager that did death-defying stunts on his broomstick even when they were specifically forbidden. Harry had had the Gryffindor courage and stubbornness in spades. "Exactly." She paused for a moment as if just deciding something. "Come to my house tonight. Bring Evan and Mark. I'll explain some things."

Lily and James quickly agreed, and they headed in one direction and Daphne in the other. Maybe, just maybe Lily let herself hope, there was a chance for Harry is Daphne was his lawyer.

* * *

The Potter family arrived at Daphne's a little after seven. Her house was in a quiet neighborhood. It was a simple but pretty English-style cottage, nothing at all like the manor she'd grown up in. The inside was warm and inviting, nothing at all like they expected from the formed Slytherin Ice Princess. Daphne led them into the kitchen, telling them to sit down. She took the boiling kettle off the stove and poured everyone a cup of tea. After offering cream and sugar, she sat down on the opposing side of the table. A lesser person would've been intimidated by the wrath of the Potter clan, but Daphne Greengrass had long ago proven to be a force to be reckoned with. "What do you want to know?"

To Daphne's surprise, it was Mark that spoke up. Then again, Harry had always said that people underestimated his youngest brother for being a Hufflepuff, that he was tougher than he seemed. Still, Daphne resolved to be gentle with Harry's brothers in a way she wouldn't be with his parents because she knew how fiercely he loved his brothers. They were the reason he had done this. "What's your relationship with my brother?"

Daphne sighed. "After that night, I couldn't stop thinking about Harry. Nothing he said fit together or made any kind of sense. I was curious so I kept going back to the Astronomy tower. He'd smoke, and I'd stand. Sometimes we'd talk, but it wasn't necessary. I grew to love these nights. They were peaceful, calming. Then one night, he leaned over and kissed me. I wasn't surprised, but I did ask him why, and he said he'd wanted to do that for a while." She paused. "Things were simple after that. We'd hook up in the tower or in an abandoned classroom. Sometimes we'd just talk, but getting information out of Harry was like pulling teeth. Neither of us wanted anything complicated, but then we fell in love and…"

"Things got complicated," Lily finished. She remembered that change, when she had fallen in love with James 7th year. Everything she had thought, everything she had believed about James and the Marauders and herself, everything she believed to be clear cut and simple, got infinitely complicated.

Daphne nodded. Evan did not seem to believe her. "Why you?" he blurted out tactlessly. "He had family, friends. Why would he only tell you?" Because, of everything that had happened, that was what had bothered Evan the most. It hadn't been hard for Evan to accept the fact his brother was a double agent. He had always trusted Harry, even when things seemed bad or he couldn't see the end result of whatever prank they were pulling. What hurt was that Harry hadn't trusted him the same way.

Daphne stared at him. Finally she replied, "Harry wanted to protect you, to keep you safe. He didn't want anyone to know. I only know because I forced his hand."

Evan glared at her. "And why should I believe you?" he challenged.

Daphne shrugged. "No reason," she said lightly. "But I can show you." She gestured for the family to follow her. They went into the living room where she opened a large oak cabinet to reveal a beautifully carved Pensieve. She put a few memories in and gestured to the Potters. "Go on," she urged.

James went in first, always cautious when it comes to his family, followed by Lily and the boys. Daphne went in last, silently praying Harry would understand why she had to show them certain things. It was essential if Harry was ever to be free and happy again, and that was the most desperate wish of Daphne's heart. At least, that's what she hoped the memories would reveal.


End file.
